Want to own your fantasy car? Talk to Nick Pugh. Early this year, the designer
unveiled his million-dollar dream rig - the 500-horsepower Xeno III speedster
shown here - and has since launched a "personal" car company. He's already
drawing up a sports car-limo hybrid for film director Roman Coppola. The
first Pugh models will run from $400,000 to $2 mil, depending on whether
a buyer wants preassembled or custom parts. But Pugh predicts prices will
drop as rapid prototyping technologies give way to personal manufacturing.
"Ultimately, it won't cost any more
to make a one-off than it does to manufacture hundreds of thousands," says
Pugh, who may file for up to five patents on his rapid-manufacturing process.
Until the concept really takes off, Pugh plans to keep his day job at Los
Angeles-based f/x house Rhythm & Hues.